I've wanted a S&W model 58 for as long as I can remember. Something looking even more business-like than a heavy barreled Model 10, issued in the city my wife was raised, possessing the fixed sights I so love, and able to be loaded from roughly 40 S&W to bear medicine. But I've never had money when a good one was available. As prices increase, the chances I'll ever score one drop with every passing year.
Also parted with a 6" heavy barreled Dan Wesson 15-2 last year. It was a great gun but the trigger couldn't be lightened and still ignite my handloads in double-action and I finally acknowledged that I would never get a second barrel and shroud. Sold it to a friend with more time and money to feed it factory .357 it'll pop and get the spare barrels it deserves. Miss the gun but it's in a better home that appreciates the wooden target stock I'd tracked down to replace the Pachmayr with which it came.
But every cloud has its silver lining. A local needed to come up with cash with the quickness and approached me about his 6" model 57 no dash with target stocks. Five hundred dollars later, it was mine with 38 nickeled cases, two factory loaded 180 grain Barnes bullet based cartridges, and 20 round of 175 grain Winchester Silvertip.
I got to help a good dude, scratch my 41 Rem. Mag. itch, fill the 6" heavy barreled and adjustable sighted magnum hole in the collection, and I already have plans!
Ammo:
-Start with 41 Special using Starline brass. Plan to cast range scrap lead in a Lee 200 grain SWC mold, powder coat, and load over enough Unique to get 950-1,000 FPS in the gun. This will be my primary load. Already have dies and the mold. Given my luck with 180 grain powder coated range scrap lead in 40 S&W, I anticipate no problems.
- After my few hundred rounds of recently delivered 210 grain Remington HTP are emptied, cast 210 grain Lee SWC* over enough powder (likely Unique) to make 1,350-1,400 in this particular gun. A decided magnum load but staid enough to reduce abuse to the gun.
Leather (to be ordered immediately upon tax return):
- Simply Rugged Loaded Pancake with oxblood finish and basketweave tooling.
- Simply Rugged 2x6 pouch with same finish and tooling. Just their name for a traditional and timeless 2x2x2 pouch.
- Simply Rugged 1.5" or 1.75" belt with same finish and tooling.
Support Gear:
- Wolff power rib hammer spring Start with the reduced power and see if ignition is still reliable. If not, reinstal the factory spring until I can get a factory-weight Wolff to try again. Don't know how I forgot to post this important one when originally typing.
- More HKS speedloaders and see if I can find a leather pouch for.
- A handful of Quick Strips if I can find any Tuff Products in stock.
- See if I can save enough scratch to score a brass receivered Henry lever-action to go with it sometime in the next year. Plus Skinner rear sight to immediatly replace the buckhorn that I so hate.
- Now have J, K, and N frame revolvers. The L frame slot needs filled. Thinking a 2.5" 357 Rem. Mag. with either fixed or adjustable sights and a thumb-break leather OWB. This good deal is going to end up very expensive.
* If powder coat proves insufficient, also traditionally lube and see if that helps.